The Little Girl Who Didn’t Want to Go to Bed

Engledow, who has found an online following as the self-proclaimed “World’s Best Father” thanks to his series of humorous photographs starring his daughter, Alice Bee, makes his picture book debut. This cautionary tale also stars his daughter, who makes an inspiring appearance on the opening spread, resplendent in purple jammies, hands on hips, eyes steely and wary. Nothing is going to make her go to sleep: “The little girl would lie awake imagining all the fun that must have been going on without her,” writes Engledow as an accompanying photomontage shows him and his wife decked out in formal wear, batting at a piñata and eating candy out of champagne flutes while a disco ball spins. The girl winds up staying awake until dawn. The consequences are standard for this genre—she uses her pancakes for a pillow, drowsily combs her teeth, and snoozes through a birthday party—but seeing a real girl act them out (especially one who embraces slapstick and is so natural in front of the camera) is a fun twist, and will remind readers of their favorite live-action comedies. Ages 4–8. Agent: Steve Ross, Abrams Artists Agency. (Oct.)